Scottish Executive

Advice Services

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether a Central Service Organisation is being established for the money advice sector and what progress is being made on setting up any such organisation.

Iain Gray: We are currently discussing with advice organisations how to increase central support for money advice, including training, information and quality assurance and expect to be able to make an announcement within the next few months.

Cancer

Ben Wallace (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what proposals it has for opportunistic screening to detect oral cancers and when such proposals will be in place.

Malcolm Chisholm: In Scotland, much has already been done to increase professional awareness of oral cancer. The launch of the oral cancer training initiative in February 2000, distributed to all primary care dentists, doctors and pharmacists, has prepared the ground for substantial improvements in the early diagnosis and referral for oral cancer.

  Opportunistic screening for oral cancer is already carried out as part of the routine oral examination.

E-Government

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what targets it has for increasing the volume of its business transactions conducted electronically and what progress is being made in respect of any such targets.

Mr Andy Kerr: Our second Programme for Government, Working Together for Scotland , promised that the Scottish Executive would have the capacity to conduct 90% of its low value, high volume procurement transactions electronically by the end of 2001. Since the introduction of a new finance system at the end of 2001, the Executive has had that capacity. The Executive, working in partnership with a range of other Scottish public sector bodies, is introducing an e-procurement service which will offer a single interface between public sector purchasers and their suppliers. The first transaction through the system was made by the First Minister at the Convention of the Highlands and Islands at Portree on 25 March 2002 at the launch of the service in The Highland Council. The Executive is currently in discussion with its major suppliers regarding their early adoption onto the system.

  The Executive's progress in the delivery of its services electronically is detailed in the Electronic Service Delivery Progress Report which was published on 16 November 2001 and is available on the Scottish Executive website and on the OpenScotland website at www.openscotland.gov.uk. The second Electronic Service Delivery Progress Report is currently being prepared and will be published shortly.

Female Offenders

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-19094 by Iain Gray on 12 November 2001, what measures to encourage the use of alternatives to custody for female offenders are being considered by the ministerial group on women’s offending.

Dr Richard Simpson: The Ministerial Report on Women’s Offending, A Better Way , was published on 28 February 2002.

  The report looks at the pressure points in the Criminal Justice System in respect of women offenders i.e. remands, imprisonment for fine default and short sentences and proposes specific action to address these problems. Specifically, the report proposes the development of a Time Out Centre in Glasgow to provide access to services and specific programmes including assessment, counselling and support for women either on a day or residential basis.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive in what location the vessels which have had decommissioning plans accepted, and are scheduled to be scrapped, will be scrapped.

Ross Finnie: Vessels are currently being, or have been scrapped at the following locations:

  Arbroath

  Carradale

  Dunbar

  Esbjerg, Denmark

  Grenna, Denmark

  Kilkeel

  Macduff

  Newcastle

  Orkney

  Port Bannatyne

  Portavogie

  Sandhaven

  Stornoway

  Stranraer

  Vigo, Spain

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive to what purpose the vessels which have had decommissioning plans accepted, and are scheduled to be reassigned to a purpose other than fishing, will be reassigned.

Ross Finnie: As at 27 March, no substantive proposals have been submitted by vessel owners for the reassignment of their vessels to a purpose other than fishing under the Fishing Vessels (Decommissioning) (Scotland) Scheme 2001.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive to which third country those vessels which have had decommissioning plans accepted, and are scheduled to be reassigned to a third country, will be reassigned.

Ross Finnie: As at 27 March, no substantive proposals have been submitted by vessel owners for the reassignment of their vessels to Third Countries under the Fishing Vessels (Decommissioning) (Scotland) Scheme 2001.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many Category A fishing licences, excluding Category A (Pelagic Purser), Category A (Pelagic Freezer) and Category A (Pelagic Trawler), have been (a) surrendered and (b) given to new vessels as referred to in paragraph 3 of the Fishing Vessels (Decommissioning) (Scotland) Scheme 2001 since the scheme began.

Ross Finnie: As at 26 March, 25 Category A licences have been surrendered as part of the decommissioning process. Decommissioning scheme rules make no provision for the reissue of surrendered licences.

Health

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the current status is of Stonehouse Hospital in Lanarkshire.

Malcolm Chisholm: Lanarkshire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust presently provide a range of clinical services on the Stonehouse Hospital site. With the opening of new District General Hospitals at Hairmyres and Wishaw, management responsibility for Stonehouse transferred to Lanarkshire Primary Care NHS Trust which will replace the facility with a new build development for the existing 40 continuing care beds and a range of out-patient services.

  The Primary Care Trust advertised the Stonehouse Hospital project as a Public/Private Partnership project in the Official Journal of the European Community (OJEC) on 4 March 2002. Closure date for expressions of interest is 9 April 2002.

Justice

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many persons were (a) charged and (b) convicted for offences of (i) careless driving, (ii) reckless driving, (iii) dangerous driving and (iv) causing death by dangerous driving in cases involving a fatal road traffic accident in each of the last five years.

Mr Jim Wallace: The available information is given in the following table. Information is not available centrally on prosecutions of other offences, e.g. careless driving, arising from fatal road accidents.

  Persons proceeded against in Scottish courts for causing death by dangerous driving1, 1996-2000

  


Year 
  

Total 
  

Number with a charge proved 
  



1996 
  

23 
  

19 
  



1997 
  

17 
  

16 
  



1998 
  

17 
  

14 
  



1999 
  

26 
  

22 
  



2000 
  

14 
  

11 
  



  Notes:

  1. Where main offence.

Justice

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance or charging directions the Crown Office gives procurators fiscal regarding cases concerning road traffic accidents involving a fatality; when an assessment into the application of such charging directions was last conducted; by whom any such assessment was conducted, and when the next such assessment will be conducted, detailing the reasons behind its response.

Elish Angiolini QC: In Scotland, the final decision on whether any prosecution will arise from a fatal road traffic accident rests with Crown counsel. The procurator fiscal will investigate the death and will prepare a report which is submitted to the Crown Office. Crown counsel will then decide whether proceedings should take place, and if so what charges the accused should face and in which court. Accordingly, the Crown Office does not give procurators fiscal guidance for charging directions on this matter nor is there any intention to re-assess this position.

  However, procurators fiscal are issued with guidance on the investigation of deaths, and following a review into the investigation of road traffic deaths, revised guidance is due to be issued shortly.

Legislation

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-14294 by Mr Jim Wallace on 3 April 2001, whether proposals for a Tenement Bill have been redrafted and when any such Bill may be introduced.

Mr Jim Wallace: As indicated in the answer given to question S1W-13602, the proposals for a Tenement Bill will require to be redrafted in the light of the Title Conditions (Scotland) Bill as it is passed by Parliament. Some technical redrafting has already occurred, and it is likely that more will be required once the Title Conditions Bill is passed. As intimated in the answer given to question S1W-14294, we hope to bring the Title Conditions Bill before Parliament as soon as an opportunity arises in the legislative programme. It is envisaged that a Tenement Bill will be introduced after the Title Conditions Bill is passed, but it is impossible to predict an exact date as it will depend upon legislative time being found. The updated version of the Tenements (Scotland) Bill is available on the Scottish Law Commission’s website at http://www.scotlawcom.gov.uk/index-1.htm

Local Government Finance

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive Scottish Executive how much aggregate external finance in total will be available for local authorities in 2002-03; what the share of aggregate external finance was for each local authority in 1996-97 to 2001-02 inclusive, and what the share for each local authority will be in 2002-03.

Mr Andy Kerr: Finance Circulars for each year since 1996-97, detailing the Aggregate External Finance (AEF) allocations to local authorities, are available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Finance Circulars and respective Bib. no’s are listed).

  


Finance Circular 
  

Title 
  

Bib. No. 
  



8/1996 
  

1996-97 Grant Aided Expenditure Figures 
  

20314 
  



31/1996 
  

1997-98 Aggregate External Finance Distribution Proposals 
  

20051 
  



20/1997 
  

1998-99 Aggregate External Finance Distribution Proposals 
  

20052 
  



19/1998 
  

1999-00 Local Government Finance Settlement 
  

20053 
  



9/1999 
  

2000-01 Local Government Finance Settlement 
  

8310 
  



13/2000 
  

Local Government Finance Settlement: 2001-02, 2002-03, 
  2003-04 
  

20054 
  



3/2001 
  

Revised Local Government Settlements: 2001-02 to 2003-04 
  

20316 
  



8/2001 
  

Local Government Finance Settlement: 2002-03, 2003-04 
  

17961

Mining

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has held with Scottish Coal on the future of the Longannet deep mine in Fife.

Lewis Macdonald: This is a reserved matter. We are aware that there have been frequent discussions between Scottish Coal and the Department of Trade and Industry on the future of the Longannet mine. Both the company and the Department of Trade and Industry have kept the Scottish Executive fully informed. Due to severe flooding which has ended production at Longannet, its operator Scottish Coal (Deep Mine) Co Ltd is now in provisional liquidation.

Mining

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has held with Her Majesty’s Government on the future of the Longannet deep mine in Fife.

Lewis Macdonald: Although matters concerning the coal industry are reserved, the Scottish Executive have been in regular contact with the Department of Trade and Industry about the future of the Longannet mine. Due to severe flooding which has ended production at Longannet, its operator Scottish Coal (Deep Mine) Co Ltd is now in provisional liquidation.

Mining

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what practical help has been provided to Scottish Coal to help it secure the long-term future of the Longannet deep mine in Fife.

Lewis Macdonald: This is a reserved matter within the remit of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). Longannet received £41 million in aid from the DTI under the UK Coal Operating Aid Scheme. Due to severe flooding which has ended production at Longannet, its operator Scottish Coal (Deep Mine) Co Ltd is now in provisional liquidation.

NHS Expenditure

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what capital provision for equipment was (a) allocated and (b) spent in each NHS board area in each year from 1994-95 to 2000-01 inclusive, expressed in real terms.

Malcolm Chisholm: Capital resources are not specifically allocated to individual NHS boards for the provision or replacement of medical equipment.

  It is for individual NHS boards to determine annually the level of funding required for new and replacement medical equipment taking into account other local priorities. NHS boards can use both capital and revenue resources to meet equipment costs.

NHS Trusts

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-21605 by Malcolm Chisholm on 23 January 2002, whether any investigation is being carried out into the Lanarkshire Primary Care NHS Trust in order to enable a substantive answer to S1W-21605 to be given and when the question will be answered.

Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-21605 on 26 March 2002.

Non-Departmental Public Bodies

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which non-departmental public bodies with more than 20 employees have their main offices in (a) Glasgow, (b) Edinburgh, (c) Aberdeen, (d) Dundee and (e) Inverness.

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) employ more than 20 people and how many people each of these NDPBs employ.

Mr Andy Kerr: The information requested can be found in the annual publication Public Bodies . A copy of the 2001 version can be found at www.cabinet-office.gov.uk/quango .

Scottish Enterprise

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive why management and administration costs in the Scottish Enterprise Network in 2000 rose from 15% to 17% of total costs when compared with the previous year, as outlined in the network’s Annual Report Summary 2000-01.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The increase reflected short-term pressures, including organisational restructuring costs and severance, on administration costs, and was agreed by my department.

  Departmental officials have recently concluded a review of Scottish Enterprise’s administration costs and will write to the Convenor of the Enterprise Committee, and you, on this matter shortly.

Voluntary Sector

Mrs Lyndsay McIntosh (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how local authorities implement their policy statements for volunteering.

Iain Gray: Volunteer Development Scotland, which receives core funding from the Scottish Executive, has, in partnership with COSLA, issued guidance to all local authorities on how to develop and implement volunteering policies. It is for local authorities themselves to determine how best to make use of volunteers.

Waste Management

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive,  further to the answer to question S1W-24005 by Ross Finnie on 25 March 2002, why information on the number of refrigerators and freezers currently estimated to be held by local authorities is not held centrally.

Ross Finnie: Collating information on the number of redundant fridges and freezers held in storage at any given time does not help to manage the problem, and asking local authority personnel to supply information which changes by the day merely diverts their attention from doing so effectively.

  What is important is knowing the scale of the problem and ensuring that local authorities have the financial support they need to deal with it. The Executive’s research has identified the number of waste fridges arising in Scotland and we have been able to model those numbers against local authority area. It is planning tools of this nature which local authorities and the waste management industry need. Having quantified the scale of the problem in this way, and having consulted local authorities on their likely costs, we were then able to provide them with an appropriate level of financial assistance.